59% approve of Clinton

Fifty-nine percent of the 1,000 likely American voters polled by Rasmussen July 30 and 31 approve of the job Hillary Clinton is doing as secretary of state: 31% Strongly approve28% Somewhat approve20% Somewhat disapprove15% Strongly disapprove5% Not sure When it comes to what percentage have a favorable view of Clinton, though, it’s 53 percent, versus 58 ...

When it comes to what percentage have a favorable view of Clinton, though, it’s 53 percent, versus 58 percent for husband Bill Clinton. The Bill Clinton polling data, however, was gathered Aug. 9 and 10, days after the former U.S. president secured the release of journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee from North Korea. Surely that heartwarming act bumped up Bill’s popularity rating.

Meanwhile, if a presidential race where held today between Hillary Clinton and former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, Clinton would win 51 percent to 39 percent, but in a hypothetical 2012 Obama-Palin contest, it would be Obama winning more narrowly at 48 percent to 42 percent.

Furthermore, 38 percent polled said it was at least somewhat likely that Clinton will be the first female U.S. president:

15% Very likely23% Somewhat likely30% Not very likely22% Not at all likely10% Not sure

and 44 percent said it’s at least somewhat likely that Clinton will challenge President Obama for the 2012 Democratic presidential nomination:

18% Very likely26% Somewhat likely30% Not very likely16% Not at all likely10% Not sure

Based on Clinton’s response to the "will you run for president" question posed to her in Thailand, though, it’s likely that American poll respondents are more optimistic of a Hillary Clinton presidency than she herself is.

Preeti Aroon was copy chief at Foreign Policy from 2009 to 2016 and was an FP assistant editor from 2007 to 2009. @pjaroonFP